November 14, 2016

Highlighted Year: Billy Cannon, 1961

Halfback, Houston
Oilers

Age: 24

2nd
season in pro football & with Oilers

College: LSU

Height: 6’1”Weight: 212

Prelude:

Cannon was a
star all-purpose halfback in college who rushed for 1867 yards while averaging
5.2 yards-per-carry, caught 31 passes for 522 yards, and scored 21 touchdowns.
He was a two-time consensus first-team All-American and winner of the 1959
Heisman Trophy, following a season in which he also returned a punt 89 yards to
key a LSU win against Mississippi. Cannon was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams as
the first overall pick of the 1960 NFL draft, but signed with both the Rams and
Oilers of the new AFL. A judge’s decision awarded him to the Oilers and he had
a fair rookie season, rushing for a team-leading 644 yards and scoring a
touchdown in the AFL Championship game on an 88-yard pass play. He was a
second-team All-AFL selection by the league and UPI.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in
all 14 games

[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 200
[2]

Most
attempts, game – 25 (for 216 yds.) at NY Titans 12/10

Yards – 948 [1]

Most yards,
game – 216 yards (on 25 carries) at NY Titans 12/10

Average gain
– 4.7 [1]

TDs – 6 [4,
tied with Jack Kemp]

200-yard
rushing games – 1

100-yard
rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 43
[11, tied with Don Maynard]

Most
receptions, game – 7 (for 122 yds.) vs. NY Titans 11/19

Yards – 586 [15]

Most yards,
game – 122 (on 7 catches) vs. NY Titans 11/19

Average gain
– 13.6 [16]

TDs – 9 [3,
tied with Jim Colclough]

100-yard
receiving games – 2

Passing

Attempts – 5

Completions –
0

Yards – 0

TD passes – 0

Interceptions
– 1 [20, tied with seven others]

Kickoff
Returns

Returns – 18
[3, tied with Al Frazier]

Yards – 439 [5]

Most yards,
game – 84 (on 3 ret.) vs. Boston 11/12

Average per
return – 24.4 [6]

TDs – 0

Longest
return – 47 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 9 [6]

Yards – 70 [9]

Most yards,
game – 20 (on 1 ret.) vs. Buffalo 10/8

Average per
return – 7.8

TDs – 0

Longest
return – 20 yards

All-Purpose
yards – 2043 [1]

Scoring

TDs – 15 [2]

Points – 90
[4]

Postseason: 1
G (AFL Championship at San Diego)

Rushing
attempts – 15

Rushing yards
– 48

Average gain
rushing – 3.2

Rushing TDs –
0

Pass
receptions – 5

Pass
receiving yards – 53

Average yards
per reception – 10.6

Pass receiving
TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

1st
team All-AFL: League, AP, UPI, NY Daily News, Sporting News

AFL All-Star
Game

Oilers went 10-3-1
to finish first in the AFL Eastern Division while leading the league in total
yards (6288), passing yards (4392), touchdowns (66), and scoring (513 points). Won
AFL Championship over San Diego Chargers (10-3).

Aftermath:

Cannon
suffered a back injury that limited his effectiveness in 1962, holding him to
474 rushing yards although he still caught 32 passes for 451 yards and scored a
total of 13 touchdowns. He saw little action in an injury-plagued 1963 season
and was traded to the Oakland Raiders, where he was tried at fullback with some
success before being shifted to tight end in 1965. While Cannon caught only 21
passes combined in his first two seasons at the new position, his production
increased significantly in 1967, when he had 32 catches for 629 yards and 10
TDs and received first-team All-AFL honors from UPI and the Associated Press.
He spent two more years with the Raiders and was an AFL All-Star in 1969.
Cannon spent one last year with Kansas City as a backup in 1970. Altogether, he
rushed for 2455 yards on 602 carries (4.1 avg.) with 17 TDs and caught 236
passes for 3656 yards (15.5 avg.) and 47 touchdowns. Cannon was a consensus
first-team All-AFL selection after one season, received some first- or
second-team recognition after three other seasons, and was chosen to two AFL
All-Star Games. His son Billy Jr. played linebacker for the Cowboys for one
year.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories: